I welcome the Trócaire publication, Ireland and the Developing World, Challenges for the Irish Government. The paper, which highlights many of the key issues facing the Government's programme of development co-operation, is an important contribution to the development debate in Ireland. The paper covers a number of thematic areas and sets out recommendations in relation to each. It is not possible for me, in the space of a reply to a parliamentary question, to respond to all of the points raised by Trócaire. The following comments, however, seek to address the principal concerns identified by Trócaire.
In regard to development assistance and the Millennium Development Goals, at the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council, GAERC, on 27 April, the Irish Presidency secured agreement on comprehensive Council conclusions covering the eight commitments, including a commitment on official development assistance, ODA, made by the EU at the International Conference on Financing for Development in March 2002. The Commission monitoring report on these commitments shows that the EU is well on track to meet the target of a collective average EU ODA of 0.39% of EU gross national income by 2006. The Council also had an extensive discussion on the reform of the EU aid programme. Ireland's national ODA is expected to approach €480 million in 2004, or 0.41% of GNP, an all time high.
In regard to trade, agriculture and food security, these inter-related issues are key agenda items for our EU Presidency and in our national programme of development assistance. At EU level, the member states and the Commission have taken a leading role in international efforts to put the Doha development round back on track after the setback at Cancun. The Agriculture Council has adopted a major reform of the EU's cotton, olive oil and tobacco sectors. The GAERC has adopted conclusions on the EU's approach to commodities and on the particular problems of African cotton producers. At the UN, the Irish Presidency is leading the EU in negotiations on the outcome of the eleventh UN Conference on Trade and Development, UNCTAD XI, which should support efforts to strengthen international confidence in the multilateral trading system. Nationally, Development Cooperation Ireland has worked closely with the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment to ensure that there is a strong development dimension in our national trade strategy.
In regard to debt and poverty reduction, on the initiative of the Presidency, EU Ministers discussed debt issues at the GAERC on 27 April. Ministers highlighted the need to address the coming into effect, at end 2004, of the sunset clause in the heavily indebted poor countries initiative, HIPC. They also stressed the importance of the work at the World Bank and the IMF on a new framework for supporting long-term debt sustainability in low income countries. We have used these discussions to promote our national debt policy, including our dissatisfaction with aspects of the HIPC.
With regard to a focus on Africa, the EU Presidency has had a strong focus on Africa. EU-Africa and EU-South Africa Ministerial Troika meetings were held in Dublin in April. The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Deputy Cowen, has visited Ethiopia, Eritrea, Rwanda and Burundi for discussions with their governments and to support UN efforts to implement the peace agreement between Ethiopia and Eritrea. I represented the EU at the EU-African Caribbean and Pacific, ACP, states ministerial meeting in Botswana in May. I have also visited Sierra Leone and Liberia recently. In April, the Council agreed to the funding of an EU Africa Peace Facility which will provide €250 million in support of African peacekeeping operations.
In regard to the HIV/AIDS pandemic, in February 2004, the EU Presidency held a major international conference in Dublin on the spread of HIV/AIDS in Europe and Central Asia. The conference adopted the Dublin Declaration which will provide the framework for fighting the disease in the region in the coming years. The Presidency, together with the Association of West European Parliamentarians for Africa, AWEPA, held a conference on HIV/AIDS and governance in Dublin in April. We will hold a meeting on the search for a HIV/AIDS vaccine in Dublin at the end of June. Nationally, we are spending over €40 million per year in our development assistance programme in the fight against AIDS.
In regard to conflict and development, in April, the Irish EU Presidency, together with the European Centre for Conflict Prevention, held an international conference in Dublin on the role of NGOs in conflict prevention. The Presidency has co-ordinated a written EU contribution to the work of the high level panel, established by the UN Secretary General, which will address new global challenges, including the challenge of conflict, and UN reform. The work of the panel, and the content of the EU contribution, deal with many of the issues raised by Trócaire.
In regard to international policy coherence and global governance, the Presidency has highlighted the spring meeting between the UN's Economic and Social Council, ECOSOC, the Bretton Woods Institutions and the World Trade Organisation as a key instrument for facilitating coherence at the international level. For this reason, the Presidency was represented at the 2004 spring meeting by the Minister for Finance. Nationally, Ireland is engaged in the discussions at the Bretton Woods Institutions on the issue of strengthening the voice of developing countries on the executive boards of the World Bank and the IMF, including through greater technical assistance to their constituencies, an increase in their basic votes and other possible reforms.